Best marathon: 2:23:57 (2007, St. George). Won the Top of Utah Marathon twice (2003,2004). Won the USATF LDR circuit in Utah in 2006.

Draper Days 5 K 15:37 (2004)

Did not know this until June 2012, but it turned out that I've been running with spina bifida occulta in L-4 vertebra my entire life, which explains the odd looking form, struggles with the top end speed, and the poor running economy (cannot break 16:00 in 5 K without pushing the VO2 max past 75).

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for the US Olympic Trials. With the standard of 2:19 on courses with the elevation drop not exceeding 450 feet this is impossible unless I find an uncanny way to compensate for the L-4 defect with my muscles. But I believe in miracles.

Long-Term Running Goals:

2:08 in the marathon. Become a world-class marathoner. This is impossible unless I find a way to fill the hole in L-4 and make it act healthy either by growing the bone or by inserting something artificial that is as good as the bone without breaking anything important around it. Science does not know how to do that yet, so it will take a miracle. But I believe in miracles.

Personal:

I was born in 1973. Grew up in Moscow, Russia. Started running in 1984 and so far have never missed more than 3 consecutive days. Joined the LDS Church in 1992, and came to Provo, Utah in 1993 to attend BYU. Served an LDS mission from 1994-96 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Got married soon after I got back. My wife Sarah and I are parents of eleven children: Benjamin, Jenny, Julia, Joseph, Jacob, William, Stephen, Matthew, Mary, Bella. and Leigha. We home school our children.

I am a software engineer/computer programmer/hacker whatever you want to call it, and I am currently working for RedX. Aside from the Fast Running Blog, I have another project to create a device that is a good friend for a fast runner. I called it Fast Running Friend.

Favorite Quote:

...if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived.

Jenny did a 5 mile tempo down the canyon in 32:14. Julia did a mile in the middle in 6:23. Jenny ended up with total of 10 miles. I got 14 total. Otherwise, usual distances and easy runs for everybody else.

Leg 1:Distance2.980Time25:14.50Pace8:28.22

Warm-up with Jenny - part with Julia.

Leg 2:Distance5.000Time32:14.00Pace6:26.80

Paced Jenny over her 5 mile tempo down the canyon. Julia did a mile in the middle in 6:23.

Did a track workout/time trials with the kids. Ran 400 in 66.4. Joseph got 67.7, Jacob 69.2, William 77.0, Bonnie 75.4 PR. Stephen did 6:39.0 mile, did not have the juice to PR today. Matthew ran 7:25.1 - he has the fitness to smash his 7:17 PR, but not yet the confidence.

Eventful day today. Matthew scored a DNF in a mile time trial, then insisted on going to the canyon where he ran a quick mile in 7:08. Stephen missed his mile PR by 1 second (6:30.1). I ran a 400 in 66.1, Joseph 67.2, Jacob 67.6 PR. Then Jacob and I paced Bonnie and William over 400. It was a close race which Bonnie won with 73.1 PR, while William got 73.2 PR. In the canyon we had to find Jenny because we needed her to drive Matthew back to the house. So I ran some miles looking for her, and did a 1.125 tempo at 5:20 pace down the canyon. Julia did 6:23 down the canyon.

I think everybody ran their usual distances except for Matthew who ended up with about 2.5 total.

Leg 1:Distance0.770Time5:42.30Pace7:24.55

Matthew's failed mile time trial. He was headed for a PR, but insisted on stopping at 3 laps, and could not be convinced to continue.

Usual Saturday distances for everybody except myself and Jenny - I went a bit longer, total of 18 miles, while Jenny took it easy and ran only 8 as she is racing a half in a week. Did a 5 mile tempo with Chad in 28:31, and 1 mile uphill towards the end of everything in 6:14.

Leg 1:Distance2.980Time23:18.60Pace7:49.33

Warm-up with Chad - part with Jenny, Joseph, Jacob, Bonnie, and William.